This invention relates to medical/dental instrument cassettes, particularly for the purpose of sterilizing such instruments.
In the past, instruments were sterilized while loose, and subsequently selected for use from a loose array of instruments. Subsequently, dental instruments were sterilized while loose, and then organized in trays in the sequence in which they were to be used. Most recently, dental instruments have been organized in the trays first, and then sterilized and used. However, the trays originally used for this purpose were reinforced wire mesh baskets which were costly, unstackable, and had hinged lids which were difficult to keep open, and were subject to discoloration, breakage, and debris entrapment. Plastic cassettes with superior facilities for organizing instruments have also been used, but some of the plastic materials adopted for this purpose do not seem able to withstand sterilization heat over the lifetime of the cassette without crazing, flaking, and otherwise deteriorating. These cassettes were also stackable one atop the other for easier storage.